A single row angular contact ball bearing which is configured according to the generic type in this way is already known from DE 35 13 722 A1. The angular contact ball bearing which is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 comprises an inner bearing ring and an outer bearing ring, of which each comprises a ball running groove, between which a ring of bearing balls rolls, which bearing balls are kept at a spacing in a cage. The ball running groove of the inner running ring is delimited by a high rim on its one side and by a low rim on the opposite side. The ball running groove of the outer running ring also has a high rim on its one side and a low rim on the opposite side, where, in the case of a high rim of one bearing ring, a low rim of the other bearing ring lies radially opposite it.
In the abovementioned figures, the angular contact ball bearing is provided at its one axial end with a seal which comprises a rigid sealing lip carrier and an elastic sealing lip, the seal being fastened to the one bearing ring in the region of the rim and the sealing lip interacting with a sealing lip on the rim of the other bearing ring.
As the figures show further, the free spaces which are arranged on the right and left and are open to the outside in the axial direction have different radial dimensions. This is a result of the fact that a high rim of one bearing ring lies radially opposite a low rim of the other bearing ring and vice versa. If the seal which is arranged on the right and the sealing lip carrier of which is fastened to the inner side of the angular contact ball bearing were transferred to the left side of the angular contact ball bearing, the sealing lip carrier would have to be fastened to the inner side of the high rim. The same is true for the sealing lip which interacts with the sealing face on the other rim. This in turn means that the seal which is arranged on the right cannot be used for the left side because its diameter is too large. Accordingly, two seals having different diameters would have to be used, which makes the entire bearing arrangement unnecessarily expensive, however. Two different seals cause higher individual costs than one seal with the same quantity. Moreover, double tooling costs result for producing the two different seals and, finally, two different tools for mounting the seals and increased logistical expenditure including storage are also required.
Moreover, an angular contact ball bearing which is sealed only on one side allows lubricant to escape in an uncontrolled manner at the unsealed location. This is disadvantageous, in particular, if connecting structures are not allowed to come into contact with lubricant. In a clutch mechanism, for example, friction linings must not be contaminated with lubricant in any case.